Pakistan is among the many nations eligible to use for continued assist. Picture: ZULFIQAR BAIG
ISLAMABAD:
Following Pakistan’s profitable participation within the Freedom Asian Chess Initiatives (FACI) 2025, functions have now formally opened for the FACI Challenge 2026, providing renewed alternatives for Asian chess federations to profit from international-level coaching, grants and institutional assist.
The Kazakhstan Chess Federation has introduced the opening of the appliance course of for FACI 2026. FACI is a global chess improvement challenge applied by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation with the assist of Freedom Holding Corp., in partnership with FIDE and the Asian Chess Federation (ACF). The initiative goals to advertise the sustainable improvement of chess by strengthening nationwide federations, increasing chess training and enhancing worldwide cooperation.
In 2025, Pakistan was amongst seven nationwide chess federations chosen for assist below FACI, alongside Oman, Cambodia, Nepal, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka and Jordan. A complete of twenty-two functions had been acquired, reflecting robust regional curiosity within the programme. Pakistan’s inclusion was broadly seen as a optimistic step in direction of uplifting the nation’s chess ecosystem, notably on the youth and grassroots ranges.
Throughout the 2025 cycle, FACI organized 20 coaching camps and workshops for nationwide groups and coaches, together with on-line preparation classes for collaborating nations akin to Pakistan. Eight internationally certified coaches, together with grandmasters and worldwide masters, performed coaching programmes. For Pakistan, Worldwide Grasp Amanov Zhanibek labored with round 25 younger chess gamers, serving to enhance technical expertise and aggressive readiness.
A significant achievement of FACI 2025 was the availability of grants for younger gamers to take part within the FIDE World Cadet Chess Championships held in Almaty, giving rising expertise publicity to top-level worldwide competitors. Collaborating nations, together with Pakistan, additionally recorded prize-winning performances at worldwide tournaments, underlining the affect of structured teaching and preparation.
One other notable end result for Pakistan was the opening of a chess academy, aimed toward guaranteeing long-term improvement and institutional assist for the sport. The challenge additionally included masterclasses, coaching classes, simultaneous exhibitions, and worldwide tournaments in Oman and Nepal, whereas selling inclusive chess by way of initiatives such because the Infinite Chess programme.
Inspired by the optimistic outcomes of 2025, the organizers have now invited nationwide chess federations to use for FACI 2026.
Federations that participated in FACI 2025, together with Pakistan, are additionally eligible to submit recent functions for continued assist in 2026. Last selections will probably be made by the FACI Working Group and the President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, in accordance with the FACI Challenge Rules.
With Pakistan’s encouraging expertise in 2025, chess officers and gamers alike are hopeful that continued participation in FACI will additional strengthen teaching requirements, broaden youth participation and improve the nation’s presence on the worldwide chess stage.
